1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a client device, an operating method, and a recording medium, and more particularly, to technology applied to a client device equipped with a touch panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
On mobile client devices with advanced functionality such as smartphones, various operations are possible via touch operations on a display screen. In other words, a smartphone is equipped with a touch panel, and touch operations are possible by having a user touch a display screen with a finger or pen.
One operation using a touch panel is a software keyboard. With a software keyboard, a keyboard is displayed on a display. Then, by having the user touch a key on the displayed keyboard with a finger or pen, a letter or number assigned to the touched key is input.
When a display panel displays such a software keyboard, in one case a large number of keys, such as the 26 letters of the alphabet and symbols, for example, may be displayed as a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, whereas in another case the keys may be displayed as a keyboard with a layout based on the number keys of a telephone.
In the case of displaying keys as a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, since it is necessary to arrange a large number of keys for display, there is a problem in that the pitch narrows for each individual key.
In the case of displaying keys as a keyboard with a layout based on the number keys of a telephone, it is sufficient to place approximately a dozen keys for the numbers 0, 1, 2, . . . , 9, and some symbols. For this reason, individual keys that are comparatively large may be placed, and the pitch may be widened for each individual key.
Meanwhile, in the case of a keyboard based on number keys, since there is a small number of keys, it is necessary to assign many letters to a single key. For example, the three letters “A”, “B”, and “C” are assigned to the “2” key. Then, when inputting the letter “A”, the user performs an operation of pressing the “2” key once. When inputting the letter “B”, the user performs an operation of pressing the “2” key twice. In this way, the input of multiple letters is distinguished by the number of times the same key is pressed.
With such an operation of pressing a key multiple times, there is a problem in that the number of key presses becomes large depending on the type of input letter, and the input operation becomes complicated.
For this reason, when displaying a software keyboard based on number keys, technology is implemented that enables multiple letter inputs to be distinguished with a single touch, according to the motion of the touching finger. In other words, the user inputs the letter “B” by touching the key labeled “2”, sliding the finger to the left while in that state, and then releasing, for example. Also, the user inputs the letter “C” by touching the key labeled “2”, sliding the finger up while in that state, and then releasing. Also, the user inputs the letter “A” by touching the key labeled “2” and then releasing the finger without sliding.
Since letters may be specified by the up, down, left, and right slide directions in this way, the input of a maximum of five letters may be specified for every single key.
Such an input operation is executed by having a controller that control input operations determine the direction in which a finger slides from a touch position, and the slide distance. In other words, the controller determines the coordinate data of a touch position supplied from the touch panel, and determines the slide direction and slide distance from the touch position. On the basis of this determination, the controller conducts an input process for the corresponding letter.
However, with a technique of the related art configured to make a determination using the slide distance from a touch position, in many cases input that reflects the user's intentions is not possible due to the user's operating conditions. In other words, with the letter input operation discussed above, when the controller determines that sliding over a distance that is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold has been performed, the controller decides on the input of the letter in that sliding direction. For this reason, if the user releases his or her finger while the sliding distance is in a short state less than or equal to the threshold, a letter that is different from the user's intended letter will be input.
Note that although the examples up to this point describe problems when displaying a software keyboard, similar problems exist when performing similar touch operations on the basis of another display.
The inventor has recognized the need to improve operability in the case of inputting letters or the like with a combination of touch operations and slide operations.